Page 76 of The Gangster King

“Don’t answer him,”Nathan says firmly.

He’s right. That will take us down the road of who I work for and how I did it. We aren’t giving him that information.

But I have a question of my own.

Two actually.

I start with the one that’s been on my mind for weeks. Since that moment in the warehouse, when my life was in his hands.

“Why didn’t you shoot?”

“Perhaps if I did, my father would still be alive?”

When I meet his eyes, I see anger but not grief.

But we both know it wasn’t me that shot his father and I’m not responsible for his life choices.

But I am responsible for bringing the enforcement team to his door.

“You shouldn’t have taken my cousin and treated her like a slave. She’s going to be in therapy for the rest of her life. Let’s call us even.”

“Fuck me.” Mack groans.

To my surprise, Dante stares at me, his dark blue eyes almost black. But he doesn’t argue or get defensive.

Instead of responding directly, he turns away from me again, staring back into the party so we’re side to side once more and says, “Gianna. She loves you. That is why I didn’t shoot.”

Loyalty.

He loves his sister.

I wondered that but wasn’t sure if it was enough. I still don’t think he’s telling the entire truth. I want to hate this criminal, but there’s something about him that makes me wonder if there is more to him.

Or maybe I’m hopeful for my wife that we can have a future where she sees her brother and mother. Because whatever happens in the next two minutes will define our future.

“That why you didn’t kill my parents?”

He turns, glaring at me. “Fuck you. I’m not in the business of dropping bodies for no reason. You got the message. You took your fucking time responding, but you got it.”

“I was on my honeymoon.”

“Spare me the details. She’s my sister.”

I silently chuckle.

If only he knew. He might actually shoot me if he did.

“I’m not handing my wife over to the Baldoni’s. I assume that’s why you wanted her. Oh, by the way, Gianna saidfuck you.” I deliver the message she demanded I give him.

Dante draws in a deep breath and nods.

He’s tired.

“Tell her I said fuck you very much. And congratulations on the nuptials.” He pushes away from the wall and runs a hand through his hair.

I watch as he walks over to his second, Nick Rugani, and my body goes on alert.

I don’t trust Dante that much.